POiSON GiRL FRiEND: An Unearthed Gem
This is my second time seeing POiSON GiRL FRiEND live in New York City, which is a rarity or kairos possible only within the last two years as POiSON GiRL FRiEND, also known as nOrikO, only recently embarked on her first-ever U.S tour in 2024. She’s been around since the 90s, but her music wasn’t available on streaming platforms until 2021. It was this reissuing that marked a rebirth for nOrikO, and jumpstarted her transition from a niche Japanese electronic DJ/act to an internationally acclaimed artist, capable of selling out venues all around the world. This year, she takes the stage at Webster Hall, confronted yet again by numerous baby-faced young adults who are eager in their devotion, myself included.
The crowd looks largely the same as it did in 2024, and I actually recognize a couple of faces. I intentionally arrive early enough to be at the barricade, which wasn’t a difficult feat. The room rapidly filled, and soon everyone was chatting avidly. Like many others present, I discovered POiSON GiRL FRiEND when I was freshly nineteen, sinking my teeth into the Shibuyah-kei and trip-hop revival. My friend and I hosted a late-night session at WBAR (Barnard College’s freeform radio) that year, and we spent a lot of time experimenting with our sound. “FACT 2” acted as a sort of founding father of our vibe.
POiSON GiRL FRiEND’s anchored electronic roots are apparent even prior to her concert; her playlist had me shazamming various tracks, and when one couldn’t be identified, I recorded a snippet of it just so it wouldn’t be lost to the ether. nOrikO spent a lot of time in the UK in the 80s and 90s, where she became “infatuated” with London’s club music, and she evidently has very good taste. I briefly chatted with the girl beside me, and she mentioned that this was also her second POiSON GiRL FRiEND concert. She was clutching a large paper, which I originally thought was a vinyl from the merch shop, but she opened it up and showed me a cat-themed art piece that she really hoped to give to nOrikO. This sweet ode embodied the ongoing affection the crowd had towards POiSON GiRL FRiEND, who was greeted by a stream of cheers as the eerie croons of “Poptones” began to reverberate across the room. The deep percussion accompanying the track served as nOrikO’s opener. She stepped out in clout goggles, white go-go boots, a mod pink and white graphic dress, and her signature cat mic pouch, shyly greeting the crowd and taking her place as the coolest girl in the world. This cool emanates from the casual conviction of her identity; despite her older age she remains committed to the serene, stylish, girl in heeled shoes that’s on the cover of Love Me (1994). Numerous digital cameras are whipped out to commemorate the occasion, immediately she has us all hooked.
nOrikO has a je ne sais quoi approach to music that’s easy to hear but hard to conceptualize. This sentiment is best displayed in “THOSE WERE THE DAYS” and “FACT 2” from her cult-classic EP Melting Moments (1992). Live, we hear her moony English-French vocals accompany the synthy, electronic production in a way that weaves the rhythmically bizarre noises from the tracks into a dreamy, surrealist, heaven. This sound is still vastly ahead of even our time, marking her a visionary in our eyes. The crowd is bathed in colorful, geometric visuals as she bips and bops across the stage; nOrikO’s way of moving is oddly charming: she flows her arms to and fro, swaying to the beat. It’s not choreography, but it embraces the music just the same, endearingly reminiscent of her club roots.
The apex of the show hits as soon as the opening notes of “HARDLY EVER SMILE” ring out. Being front row, the song strikes me harder than I expect it to. As her most streamed song, the reaction is immediate: screams screech and phones are pulled out at record speed. Red and blue lights overflow as nOrikO stands closer to the stage and longingly sings of a love she cannot live without. It’s not a personal favorite, but I’m gently lulled by the sweet violin harmony and her tender tone, and it becomes my favorite performance of the night, enhancing an already lovely evening.
POiSON GiRL FRiEND’s tour welcomes the arrival of her new album reprises (2026) which remixes four songs by other artists with her signature trip-hop techno blend. The concert continues with a few songs from the new album, and finishes with a cooing cover of “Sunday Morning.”
It’s unfathomable to think that there was once a time where POiSON GiRL FRiEND was buried in the crevices of Japanese music, and seeing her younger crowd is heartwarming. It bears the mark of an artist whose music reigns across time, and depicts the role that young people play in pioneering revivals and sounds, and bringing certain music back to life.